At Home with UAEX

Learn from the best Extension Educators on being at home with UAEX!

How to Freeze Butternut Squash

Original author JoAnn Vann | Adapted for blog by Katie Frizzell

Butternut squash is one of the most common winter squashes. This foot long, bell shaped variety has thin, butterscotch colored skin, making it easier to peel than many other squash varieties. It cooks quickly and is dense and creamy, making it excellent for pies, or pair with a variety of flavors, including smoky bacon, cinnamon, and balsamic vinegar. It also has the highest doses of vitamins A and C of all winter squash.

Freezing butternut squash cubes saves time in recipe preparation and is much less expensive than buying prepared cubes at the grocery store. The video below shows the step-by-step process to safely prepare butternut squash cubes for freezing for best flavor summarized here:

Directions:

1. Wash the outside of the squash under running water to remove dirt and contaminates.
2. Peel squash using a flat plate style peeler.
3. Remove the ends of the squash and cut cross-body into smaller, more manageable sections.
4. Turn the squash sections onto the flat cut sides and half or quarter each section.
5. Cut each piece into consistently sized cubes for improved cooking consistency.
6. Blanch cubes in boiling water for 3 minutes to stop enzymatic ripening action.
7. Drain cubes removing as much residual water as possible.
8. Arrange cubes in a single layer on a non-stickbaking sheet.
9. Place sheet in freezer.
10. Once squash is frozen, pack in freezer safe bags or containers.
11. Label with product name and date of packaging.
12. Butternut squash will maintain quality for up to 1 year in the freezer.

Interested in growing butternut or other winter squash varieties? Start planning for planting using our winter squash growing publication and plant of the week featuring butternut squash:

Plant of the Week: Squash, Butternut

Home Gardening Series Winter Squash Publication FSA-6078